Machine for folding towels



Aug. 7, 1,923.

.L N. BORROUGHS MACHINE FOR FOLDING TOWELS Filed Aug. 31, 1920 Patented Aug. Y, i923.

JOSEPH N. BOEROUGr-IS, DF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING- TOWELS.

Applcation filed August 31, 1920. Serial No. 407,263.

To all fn/0m t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Josnrrr N. BoRRoUeHs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful ,improvements in Machines for olding Towels, of which the following is a specification.

illy invention relates to machines 'for foldini; soiled towels so that they may be washed.

ln washing very long;` towels in a washing macliine, they often become so tangled, and torn, that they are useless. The object of my invention is to provide a machine which will quickly and efficiently fold the towel in a compact bundle. The towel after being folded is securely pinned at both edges and y placed in the washing` machine for washing.

Those objects are accomplished by the particular structure and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing', which forms a part of this specification, and in which Visure l` is a transverse sectional View of my towel folding,i machine.

lplaure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Referring' more particularly to the drawing. the numeral l indicates a frame having: horizontal members 2 and A roller 4 is journaled in bearings secured to the members t? and smaller roller 5, adapted to contact with the roller 4, is journaled in arms G and 7, which are journaled in bearings secured to the members 2 and 3. Springs 8 on the arm journals create a pressure between the rollers 4 and 5.

A. tubular pendulum 7L is journaled on trunnions 8a in the members 2 and 3, below the contact point of the rollers 4 and 5.

A shaft 8 is journaled in the members 2 40 and 3 forwardly of the roller 4. A pulley 9 is secured to one end of the shaft 8, so that power may be applied there to rotate said shaftL To a crank l0 in the shaft 8 is secured a pitman ll, which is also secured to the pendulum 7, to transmit a vibratory motion thereto. A chain l2 travels over sprockets i3, on the shaft 8, and 14 on the shaft of the drum 4, thereby rotating said drum.

The towel is fed by the rollers 4 and 5 50 and down thru the oscillating pendulum 7, which folds the towel upon itself at the beginning of each oscillative stroke. When the whole towel is folded the edges are pinned together and the towel is placed in a washing machine for washing.

HavingA described my invention l claim:

A. machine for folding towels including a frame, a tubular pendulum pivoted at its upper end to the upper part of said frame, a shaft journaled on the upper part of said frame, a feed roller secured on said shaft with its periphery in alignment with the upper end of said tubular pendulum, asprocket on said roller shaft, a crank sha-ft journaled @5 in the upper part of said frame, a crank on said crank shaft, a pitman connecting said crank and the upper part of said pendulum,

a sprocket on said crank shaft, a chain ex tending' over the sprocket on said roller 70 shaft and said crank shaft, a pair of arms journaled on the upper part of said frame, a pressure roller engaging said feed roller by gravity directly above the upper end of said pendulum, and means whereby said crank shaft may be driven.

In testimony whereof l afix my signature.

JOSEPH N. BORROUGHS. 

